Virgil Abloh's 12 most iconic celebrity looks (2024)

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Fashion designer and creative powerhouse Virgil Abloh died on November 28, 2021, after a private two-year battle with cardiac angiosarcoma, a rare form of heart cancer.

"We are all shocked after this terrible news," LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault said in a statement shared at the time of Abloh's death. "Virgil was not only a genius designer, a visionary, he was also a man with a beautiful soul and great wisdom."

Abloh was named Louis Vuitton's artistic director for menswear in 2018. As Business Insider previously reported, this made him one of the few Black people to lead a top fashion house and the first Black American to lead a French one.

In February 2023, Louis Vuitton announced that Pharrell Williams — a musician, producer, and entrepreneur who's long been making a name for himself in the fashion world — would be joining the label as "Men's Creative Director," effective immediately, according to an announcement on LVMH's site. Williams is the second Black American to assume the role, after Abloh.

During his career, Abloh's unification of high fashion and streetwear changed the world of fashion and earned him celebrity fans.

Here are 12 of his most iconic fashion moments with celebrities over the years.

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Solange arrived at the 2016 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Awards wearing an eye-catching metallic suit by Off-White.

The two-piece set was accessorized with silver jewelry, matching hair clips, and a pair of simple black heels.

Abloh founded Off-White, a luxury streetwear brand, in 2012. Through the label, he collaboratedwith partners including Nike,Ikea, Jimmy Choo, andMcDonald's.

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Naomi Campbell closed Off-White's Spring/Summer 2018 ready-to-wear show in Paris in 2017 with Abloh at her side.

The runway icon closed out the show in a waist-cinching blazer and biker shorts. Her look served as a perfect representation of the couture-meets-streetwear style that Abloh pioneered.

Campbell reflected fondly on the moment in an Instagram post following the news of his death.

"Today is not the end it's the beginning of your beautiful and young legacy," Campbell wrote. "You always said you were an engineer and Architect can't wait to see what you have in store for the world .this side and the other ... It was an honor to walk for you."

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Kendall Jenner's atypical 2018 Met Gala pantsuit was designed by Abloh.

In a look that was a bit more demure than some of her previous Met Gala looks, Jenner attended the event with the designer, who also wore an all-white ensemble.

Following his death, she shared an Instagram post highlighting Abloh's influence on her personal life and the world of fashion.

"V taught me and all of us a very important lesson, although he knew he had only so long, he was bright, he was kind & he was full of love. we all need a little bit of Virgil in us. he leaves us with his influence, to create and change the world. you did just that Virg," she wrote.

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Rihanna was one of the first celebrities to be seen in Abloh's debut collection for Louis Vuitton in 2018.

After Abloh became the first Black designer to be named artistic director for the French fashion house, fellow multi-hyphenate Rihanna wore an all-white look to the designer's historic debut.

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Sports stars flocked to Off-White's reimagined takes on iconic sneakers, such as the Air Jordan 1, seen here on NFL star Odell Beckham Jr. at an Off-White show in 2018.

Abloh's Off-White x Air Jordan 1 was a standout, highly anticipated collaboration. The zip-tie adorned shoes released for $190 in 2017, a fraction of the resale price, which has skyrocketed following the designer's death.

Odell Beckham Jr. mourned the loss of the fashion visionary on Twitter after his death in 2021.

"I wish we lived in a world where we could celebrate the living instead of celebrating them when they leave," Beckham wrote. "Rest In Peace to my brother Virgil ! You were loved."

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Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner hit the runway for Abloh's Off-White Womenswear Spring/Summer 2019 show during Paris Fashion Week in 2018.

The supermodel pair opened the show sporting sleek variations of white button-downs.

Hadid also shared her shock at Abloh's passing in a heartfelt Instagram post on November 28, 2021.

"The way he made a positive impact on anything he touched, and always pushed for his culture/the world is the reason why he was an angel on earth and one to so many," she wrote. "The most beautiful warrior soul. I can't believe this."

Kaia Gerber also walked the Spring/Summer 2019 Off-White show.

The white dress, a collaboration with Nike, highlighted the impact of sportswear on Off-White as a brand.

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Hailey Bieber, pictured in an oversized Off-White trench coat, was a big fan of Virgil's work.

Abloh custom-designed Hailey Bieber's wedding dress, and her lengthy veil was emblazoned with Off-White's signature quotation-mark design, reading, "Till death do us part."

Bieber shared a tribute to the designer on Instagram following the news of his death.

"Virgil completely changed the way I looked at street style and fashion, the way he looked at things inspired me deeply," she wrote. "I will never be able to fully express how grateful I am to have known him and worked with him, from walking on his runways to having him design my wedding dress and all the other amazing moments in between, I felt he was always rooting for me."

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Gigi Hadid attended the 2019 CFDA Awards with Abloh. Her outfit was a mix of pants, a skirt, and a blazer, all from Louis Vuitton's Fall 20219 Menswear Collection.

Abloh was nominated for two CFDA Fashion Awards in 2019: Menswear Designer of The Year and Accessories Designer of The Year.

Following his death, Hadid shared her devastation at the news, as well as condolences for his family, in a touching Instagram post.

"You will continue to inspire me every day, V," she wrote. "I feel blessed and honored by every moment. Rest Easy, my friend. You are so loved. You were the difference."

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Hadid also closed the Off-White Fall/Winter 2020/2021 Paris Fashion Week Womenswear show in a white tulle gown and partial hoodie.

The show was a family affair as her sister, Bella, and their mother, Yolanda, walked earlier in the show.

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Bella Hadid wore a stunning velvet blue gown for Off-White's Fall/Winter 2021 collection.

The gown featured a cinched bodice juxtaposed by a boxy top-and-hip silhouette.

This was Off-White's last show before the designer's death.

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During a September trip to New York, Kylie Jenner's orange trench coat and pointed-toe heels were both from Off-White's fall 2021 collection.

Jenner showed off her baby bump, wearing a midriff-exposing crop-top while out in New York. Her trench and sling-back heels elevated her take on a basic T-shirt and jeans.